Closure operator



July 24, 1951 o. A. GIPPLE 2,561,358

CLOSURE OPERATOR INVENTOR. new, @i

BY W W July 24, 1951 o. A. GIPPLE CLOSURE OPERATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 23. 1946 M7320 r'nc yS July 24, 195] Filed Sept. 23. 1946 O. A. GIPPLE CLOSURE OPERATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 a INVENTOR.

BYWVLQD July 24, 1951 o. A. GIPPLE CLOSURE OPERATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 25. 1946 IN VEN TOR.

BY WW operated mechanism which actuates the same Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,561,358 CLOS RE B T ouver A7; Gipple; Buffalo, N. Y. Application September 23, 1946, SerialNo. 698,620

2 Claims. (01. 268-38) This invention relates to a dispensing cabinet ready for convenient use by guests who are tobe served.

One of the objects of this invention is to'provide a dispensing cabinet for this purpose which comprises a compartment for storing a supply of beverages, refreshments and the like and having a door capable of being quickly opened and closed by power for either exposing these supplies so that they can be conveniently used or concealing the same for maintaining the same in a sanitary condition. I

Another object of this invention is to provide .a dispensing cabinet having means whereby the glasses and other equipment for serving the beverages and refreshments may be compactly stored and concealed in a lowered position when not inv use and quickly elevated and exposed for convenience in utilizing the equipment when serving guests.

' A further object of this invention is to provide a dispensing cabinet having a table which Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the samewith parts broken away to show the adjacent. mechanism within the cabinet.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the upper part of the dispensing cabinet but showing the mechanism in a position in which the table is expanded to increase its supporting area. I

Fig. 4.- is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 4--4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the central liftable section of the table and parts of the mechanism for moving the same vertically. H

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary perspective views of parts of the mechanism for expanding and contracting the table sections.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation of the c'ompensating means whereby a yielding connection is provided between the mechanism which -expands and contracts the table and the power Fig". 9 is a vertical section of the compensating means shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section taken on line Ill-Ill, Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective View of the compensating means whereby a yielding connection is obtained between the mechanism which operates the sliding door sections of the beverage and supply storage compartment and the power operated mechanism which actuates the same.

Figs. 12 and 13 are fragmentary perspective views of parts of the flexible door'or closure for said storage compartment and the means for guiding and actuating the same.

Fig. 14 is a vertical cross section, on an enlarged scale, of the expansible serving tabletaken on line Ml4, Fig. 15.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of parts of the expansible serving table made in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 16 is a similar view of the removable panel or board forming a part of one of the horizontally movable sections of the expansible table containing a feature of this invention.

In the following description similar reference characters indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In general this invention comprises a housing which provides a supply compartment 20 having a front entrance and adapted to store various beverages, refreshments and the like, an equipment chamber 2| in which glassware and the like are stored, and a serving table 22 adapted tosu'pport'the glasses while the refreshments are being served. n

In the preferred construction this housing comprises a lower base 23 adapted torest on the floor a horizontal floor 24 resting on the base and two upright side walls 25 connected at their lower ends with the floor and supporting parts of the table 22 at their upper ends. The space within theouter enclosure of the housing is divided by a horizontal partition 26 arranged between the floor 24 and the table 22 so as to form the top of the refreshment chamber 20 and part of the bottom of the equipment v chamber and this partition is connected with the floor 24 by two upright side partitions 2'! which are spaced from the housing side walls 25 so as to formtwo lower 0 side pockets 28in which part of the operating mechanism of the cabinet is arranged, and this horizontal partition 26 is also connected at its 'inner or rear, end with the floor 24 by an upright transverse partition 29 which is spaced from the rear-side of the cabinet housing so as to form 3 the inner or back wall of the equipment chamber 26 and also a pocket 30 in the rear part of the cabinet for receiving other parts of the operating mechanism.

The front side of the refreshment storage chamber 20 is opened and closed by a slidable folding door 3|. The upper part of the front side of the cabinet is closed by a front transverse wall 32 and the space within theupper part of the housing contains transverse front and rear partitions 33, 34 and two longitudinal side partitions 35, 35 which form front and rean,

pockets 36, 31 and two side pockets 38 within the upper part of the cabinet housing for'the-"reception of some of the operating mechanism;-

The door 3| of the refreshment storage chamber preferably comprises two horizontally slid-- able folding sections which are adapted to meet at the center of the front side of this chamber when the same are in a closed positionand .to separate and move respectively into the. pockets 2B of the cabinet when in an open position. Each of the 'door sections of the refreshment storage chamber comprises a plurality of upright slats 39 arranged/edge to edge in ahorizontal row and connected with each other by flexible bands MI so as to permit the same to fold horizontally relative to each other and move in unison either in a straight line into and out of the respective side pocket 38 and into and out of a position across'the front side of the chamber 23 and also turn the corner between the front side of this chamber 20 and the respective pocket 32. During this movement of the slats 39 of each of these door sections the lower ends of these slats engage with an outwardly facing guide way 41 formed on the longitudinal side edges and the transverse front. edge 'of thefloor 24 of the refreshment storage chamber, as shown in Figs. 1 2 and'll), and these slats are supported and guided at their upper ends by means of a plurality'of hangers each of which has a lower attaching plate 42 secured by a rivet 43 to the inner side of therespective slat and an upper hook 44 which slides on an upper horizontal track 45 extending transversely across the front side of the chamber 29 and lengthwise of the upper part of the respective pocket 38 and supported on the adjacent parts of the cabinet by brackets 46.

viding the upper edge of each attaching plate 42 on opposite sides of its hook 44 with'retaining lips 41 which engage with the upper edge of the respective slat, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

Power operated means are provided for opening and closing the two folding sections of the refreshment chamber. door which means are shown in Figs. 1, 2, 10, 11 and 12, and constructed Turning of these hangers about the rivets 43 is prevented by proby switch means which may be varied. Motion H nected at its upper end by means of alink 5| with the upper part of the rearmost slat 39 of the respective door section while its lower end is pivoted by means of a fulcrum pin or rivet 52 with a relatively stationary part s that upon swinging this lever forwardly and backwardly the respective folding door section will be moved into a closed and opened position. This rocking movement is imparted to this lever by a horizontal door operating crank shaft 53 arranged transversely-in the pocket 39 above the motor 48 and provided at its oppositeends with cranks or crank arms 54 each of which is connected by a link 55 with one of the rock levers 58 between the ends of the latter, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 10. The crank shaft 53 is rotated by motion derived from themotor 48 through the medium of an intermediate transmitting gearing comprising an intermediate crank shaft 53 arranged in the pocket 30 and journaled in suitable hearings on an adjacent stationary bracket iii of the cabinet, intermeshing miter gear wheels 53, 59 connected respectively with the intermediate shaft 56 and the door operating shaft 53, a worm shaft 60 journaled on the bracket 51 and having a worm Bl which meshes with a worm wheel 63 on the inter: mediate crank shaft 56, and a' belt $3 passing around pulleys t l, 65 mounted respectively on the motor shaft 32 and the worm shaft 50. The throw of the cranks 5d and the parts associated therewith-is so determined that during one-half of the rotation of these cranks on one side of the axis of the shaft 53 the rock levers will be actu ated to close the sections of the door 3i and upon rotating these-cranks one-half turn on the opposite side of this axis these levers will be turned in the opposite direction and open these doors. This result is obtained by turning the motor continuously in the same direction and providing means which are operated either manually or automatically for arresting the motor when the cranks 5t project horizontally forward, as shown in Fig. 1 and the doors 3! are closed and also stopping the motor when these arms project horizontally rearward from the crank shaft 53 and these doors are opened.

In order to avoid the necessity of extremely accurate workmanship in the mechanism for closing-and opening the sections of the door 31 and still permit of tightlyclosing the same yielding compensating means are provided whereby'the means for transmitting motion from the motor 48 to the door sections 3! will-always overthrow or exert a tendency to move these door sections after the same have reached their closed position,

and thus hold them firmly'closed without liability of breaking any of the operating parts. This is preferably accomplished by supporting the pivot pins 52 of the rock levers on compensating bars 68 which are capable of floating and are yieldingly held in position so as to be capable of shifting in response to pressure on these levers after 'the'door sections 3i have been fully closed. For

this purpose each of these compensating bars is guided at its front and rear ends in guideways 61, 68 on the adjacent stationary parts of the 65 cabinet, and each of these compensating bars is drawn rearwardly against an adjacent stop 69 by means of a spring 10 which connects lugs ll,'l2

formed, respectively, on the compensating bar and its rear guideway 58, as best shown in Figs. 1, 10 and 11.7 This stop 69 limits the rearward movement of this compensating bar and pref.-

erably consists of va screw which works in a .threaded'openingon the bracket 73 which carhas t e ear s id w y 6 h re y p rm. tt ne10 adjusting the open position of the respective section of the door 3|; The tension of the springs 19 is such that during nearly the entire closing movement of the door sections 3i the compensating bars 66 will be held stationary in their rearmost position against the stops 69, as shown in Figs. 1, and l, but after these door sections engage each other at their front ends and the rock levers are still pressed forward for a brief time by the actuating means which connect the same with the motor shaft the compensating bars 66 are permitted to move forwardly due to the .yielding of the springs 10, during which time the lower pivot pins 52 of the rock levers move forward while the fulcrum of these levers is tempolrarily transferred to the pins 14 which pivotally connect the upper ends of the rock levers with thelinks 5!. During the initial part of the subsequent opening movement of the doors 3| the rock levers first turn on the link pins 14 as fulcrums until the compensating bars 66 have moved backwardly into engagement with the stops 69 after which these levers turn on the pivot pins 52 as fulcrums. It will be noted that by these means a tight closure of the doors 3| may be obtained without accurate workmanship in the mechanism which operates these doors. After the stop screws 69 have been adjusted to the desired position the same are held rigidly in place on the brackets 13 by means of jamb nuts 15, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

The serving table 22 which forms the top of the cabinet comprises front and rear fixed sections 16, 11 which are mounted lengthwise in any suitable manner on the upper ends of the upright fixed walls of the cabinet so that these sections are spaced fore and aft from each other and two extensible end sections or panels 18, 18 which are slidably mounted between the opposing respective ends of the longitudinal table sections so that these end sections may be slid inwardly for engaging their opposing inner ends and thus produce a continuous contracted table top with the longitudinal table sections and which closes the upper end of the equipment chamber 2| or these end table sections may be moved apart so as to uncover the upper end of the equipment chamber.

Various means may be employed for thus movably supporting the end table sections on the longitudinal table sections but those, shown in Figs. 1, 14, 15 and 16 of the drawings are preferred and constructed as follows:

' In thespace between each of the corresponding ends of the longitudinal table sections 16, 11 is arranged a carriage on which one of the end table sections 18 isdetachably mounted. This carriage comprises inner, outer and intermediate transverse bars 19, 80, BI and two spaced longitudinal bars 82 which may be constructed of :metal and connected by spot welding or in any other appropriate manner. This carriage is :guided for lengthwise movement on the longitudinal table sections by engaging the opposite ends of the inner and intermediate cross bars 19, 88 with longitudinal guideways 83 formed on guide rails or tracks 84 which are secured to the under.- side of the table sections 16, 11 by means of screws 85. s

1 Each of the end table sections is equal in Width to the space between the opposing longitudinal edges of the front and rear table sections and detachably mounted on its respective carriage so as to be movable therewith inwardly and outwardly relative to the body of the cabinet and remains flush with the other table sections. The

means for detachably connecting each "nditable section with its carriage includes coupling lugs 86 arranged on the outer ends of the longitudinal carriage bars 82 and engaging with recesses 81 on the underside of the outer end of the respective end table sectionlcoupling lugs 88 arranged at the opposite ends of the outer cross bar 8! of the carriage and engaging with shoulders 89 formed on the underside of this table section, and coupling clips 90 secured to the underside of the inner part of this table section and engaging underneath the inner cross bar 19 of the carriage.

By this means the end table sections are movably supported so that they can be slid inwardly for contracting the length of the table and forminga closedtop for the cabinet when the same is not in use for serving refreshments and also slid outwardly for expanding the surface of the table and uncovering the chamber or well 2| in the top' of the cabinet and rendering the equipment therein accessible, and the end table sections can' also be readily removed for cleaning and inspecting the same and the parts associated therewith.

Outward movement of each end table carriage is limited by stops 9| secured to the underside of the longitudinal table sections adjacent to the outer ends thereof and adapted to be engaged by the opposite ends of the intermediate cross bar 80 of the respective carriage in the outermost position of the latter.

Power operated means are provided for opening and closing the movable end sections of the table which means are preferably actuated by the same motor which actuates the front door of the refreshment chamber so that the top of the equipment chamber and the front of the refresh ment chamber are opened and closed simultaneously. In their preferred form the means for actuating the end table sections are constructed as follows:

The numeral 92 represents a gear rack secured lengthwise to the underside of each of the end table supporting carriages and a gear wheel 93 meshing with this rack. Across the outer upper parts of the equipment chamber are two horizontal gear shafts 94 each of which is journaled in bearings on adjacent stationary parts of the cabiriet'and has secured thereto one of the gear wheels 93 so that these members turn together; At its rear end each of the gear shafts 94 is provided with a gear pinion 95 which meshes with the teeth of a gear segment 96 pivoted on the adjacent part of a stationary longitudinal supporting bar 91 mounted on the upper part of the cabinethousing, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The two gear segments 96 are caused to rock in unison in opposite directions by motion derived from a vertically movable slide 93 which is guided in a guideway 1G5 arranged on a station'- ary part between these segments and operatively connected with a rock arm 99 projecting downwardly'from each segment by means of a guide arm I00 pivoted at its upper end on the supporting bar 91, a parallel link lill connecting the lower end of the guide arm lilfi with the lower end of the segment arm 99 and a shifting link I02 connecting the lower end of the guide link Hill and the'inner end of the parallel link llll with one side of the slide 98. Upon raising the slide 98 to its highest position, as shown in Fig'. 2, the gear segments 96 will be turned so that both of the" end table sections 18 are simultaneously moved-inwardly into their closed position and up'orimoving this slide downwardly to its lower-"- a enate m steposit ni s sh w in i h s QBEHZ1 ments will be turned simultaneously in the'oppo site direction therebymoving both of these end table sections 18 into their outermostopen position. 1

Theslide 98 is reciprocated for this purpose by. motion derived from the motorAB and thisispref; erably accomplished by transmitting means .comprising a crank I93 connected with the rear .end of the crank shaft -3 and an upright connecting; rod or bar led which is pivotallyconnected at its lower a ppe n rcsp ct v y-wi hthe crank 93 and the slide 93. When the crank l03 is; in

a full upright position, as shown in Fig. both endtable sections are closed and when this crank projects fully downwardly these table; sections are closed so that during each complete rotation of the crank shaft 55 these tables end sections are opened and closed andtherefore maybe retained in either of these positions by stopping the operation of the motor when the .crank ll lil is either straightup or straight down;

In rd r o s re tight n a e nt. of t inner ends of the table end sections 18 and a full closure at the top of the equipmentchamberll the means for actuating these table sections are so constructed that the same tend to move these 'tableend sections more than is necessary to close. the same and means are therefore provided to compensatefor this overthrow or excess of .the actuating means in order to avoid breaking any of the parts of this mechanism. This is :prefer ably accomplished by constructing the connecting rod or; bar H34 in sections,and yieldingly connecting these sections.

In the preferred construction the connecting rod 134 comprises an upper-section H16 which-is pivotally connected withthe slide 98, alower section l9! which is pivoted to the crank I93, and an intermediate section see which is yieldingly con-v nected with the upper rod section H and'adjustably connected with the lower rod section 101. The adjustable connection between the lower rod section and the intermediate rod section preferably consists of adjusting screws lflfl secured. :to the intermediate rod section H18 and passing through longitudinal slots Hit in the lower rod section Hi7, and the yielding connection between the intermediate rod section Ills and the up per rod-section Hit preferably comprise guide pins or 0 screws ll: secured to the upper rod section 106 and sliding lengthwise in slots E2 in the intermediate rod section and a spring {it con: necting the upper and intermediate rod sections, as shown in Figs. 2, 8 and 9. l

The upward movement of the upper .rod section 168 relative to the intermediate. section )8 under the pull of the spring i3 is limited bystop means which preferably consist of the screws .gl H engaging with the upper ends of the slots l lZ as shown in Fig. 9.

The contracting movement of the several sections of the connecting rod under the pull of the spring H3 is limited by engagement of the guide pins Ill with the upper ends of the slots H2 which form stops for this purpose.

During nearly the entire throw of I the crank Hi3 into its full upward position the several sections of the connecting rod H34 move together asa unit until the table end sections have beenmoved inwardly and are arrested by engagement of their inner ends and'thereafter the continued lifting effect of the crank H13 in completing its upward throw only moves the lower and intermediate section H31, H18 of. the connecting-mod "I4 independently-of its upper section 1.06, whereby; the spring H3 will be stretched slightly and stop;

pins H I will be moved slightly away from the vup perstop ends of the slots H2, thereby avoiding:

breaking any of the operating mechanism. Dur: ing the subsequentdownward throw of the crank Hi3 the-lower and intermediate connecting rod.

sections will move independently of the upper;

in use and also elevated flush with the top ofthe.

table when it is desired to serve refreshments:

In their preferred form these elevating means as shown in Figsnl, 2, 4 and 5 are constructed'as follows:

The numeral H4 represents a horizontal ele-- vating platform or tray which is adapted to sup;

port various. kinds of beverage or refreshment serving equipment and is movable vertically in the equipment chamberbetween the bottomand top thereof so that any equipment, such as glasses, maybe stored in the lower part of this v chamber when the cabinet is not'in use, andthis. equipment may be raised flush with the table where, the same is accessible for use, This tray is preferably of rectangular form so as to sub: stantially fit the shape of the equipment chain her when lowered and also fit the space between the opposing inner edges of the end sections {I8 of the table when the latter are separated or extended. The means for guiding this tray during its vertical movement preferably comp-rise an upright lifting post 1 I5 which has the formof a; plate whichv is guided. for vertical movement-in a guideway HE arranged in thepocket 3!) of the cabinet and mounted on the rear wall 29 of the refreshmentchamber 2d and provided at its 1112-;

per end with means for supporting this tray;

Raisingandlowering of the lifting postand the tray carried thereon is effected by a rotatable crank H '3 connected with the frontend of the {intermediate crank shaft 56 and a connecting rod or bar M8 pivotally. connected at its lower-and upper ends respectively, with the crank H1 and the lifting post H5.

The upward movement of the tray is preferably arrested when the upper side thereof is flush with the upper sideof the table and for this pure pose. the tray is provided on the underside of its opposite transverseedgeswith stops 9 having the form of fingers-which are adapted to engage with ,theunderside of the inner edge portions'of the table and sections when the ,latter fully: spread and the trayis in its highest position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

For the purpose of insuring raising the tray always .,to a position flush with thetable with: out requiring accuracy in workmanship of the lifting mechanism means areprovided in this lifting whereby a lifting effect is produced inexcess of that necessary to bring the tray fiush with the table and the excess of this lifting effeet is absorbed by yielding: cushioning. means, thereby preventing injury to the tray lifting mechanism. This is preferably. accomplished as follows:

Thenumeral I20 represents aplurality of supportin armsprojecting laterally from the upper end of the lifting post H along the underside of the tray. This tray is supported on these lifting arms by a plurality of springs l2l interposed between these arms and the tray and thus provides a cushion between these members which tends constantly to move the tray upwardly from these arms. This raising effect of these springs is limited preferably by stop means consisting of screws I22 passing through these springs and secured at their upper ends to the tray while their heads bear against the underside of the tray H4. Just before the lifting post completes its upward movement the stop fingers H9 engage the underside of the table end sections 78 and thereby arrest the tray flush with the table and as this lifting post effects the final part of its upward movement independently of the tray, the springs I2l are compressed a corresponding extent. Durin the initial part of the subsequent downward movement of the lifting post the tray remains at rest until the springs IZI have expanded sufficiently to take up the slack permitted by the stop screws I22 and after this slack has been taken up the tray descends in unison with the post into the lowermost position of the lifting mechanism.

The operating mechanism of this dispensing cabinet is so timed that during one-half of each complete cycle of operations the front door of the refreshment chamber is opened in unison with separation of the table end sections into an open position and elevation of the tray so that it is level with the table thereby renderin all the storage facilities of the cabinet accessible for use and placing the table in readiness for serving refreshments to guests, it being understood that the operating mechanism is arrested either manually or automatically when the several parts are in the required position.

When the repast is finished the second half of the complete cycle of the operating mechanism causes simultaneous lowering of the tray, contracting the table end sections, and closing of the front door which operation may likewise be controlled in any approved manner.

As a whole this dispensing cabinet permits of making available readily and conveniently the supplies and equipment for entertaining guests and easily stowing the same away after the service has been concluded and thus render such entertainment pleasant and enjoyable.

I claim as my invention:

1. A dispensing cabinet comprising a storage chamber having an entrance, a door movable into and out of a position across said entrance, means for actuatin said door including a lever connected with said door, means for rocking said lever, and yielding means associated with said lever and permitting movement of the same independently of said door when the movement of the latter is arrested, including a slidable compensating bar upon which said lever is pivoted, spring means for moving said bar, and stop means for limiting the movement of said bar under the action of said spring means.

2. A dispensing cabinet comprising a storage chamber having an entrance, a door movable into and out of a position across said entrance, means for actuating said door including a lever connected with said door, means for rocking said lever, and yielding means associated with said lever and permitting movement of the same independently of said door when the movement of the latter is arrested, including a slidable compensating bar upon which said lever is pivoted, guide means which are slidingly engaged by said bar, spring means for moving said bar on said guide means, and stop means for limiting the movement of said bar under the action of said spring means including a stop screw adjustably mounted on said guiding means and engaged by said compensating bar.

OLIVER A. GIPPLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 835,701 Burford Nov. 13, 1906 1,263,683 Laursen Apr. 23, 1918 1,300,759 Nielsen Apr. 15, 1919 1,406,758 Purdie Feb. 14, 1922 1,544,542 Ain'sworth July 7, 1925 1,635,758 Lemon July 12, 1927 1,743,812 Forman Jan. 14, 1930 2,351,597 Burlin June 20, 1944 2,358,071 Hurtado Sept. 12, 1944 2,388,978 Kaiser Nov. 13, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 657,086 Germany Feb. 10, 1938 

